Rotary intaglio printing machine



Aug. 11, 1942. F. HELLER ET AL ROTARY INTAGLI O PRINTING MACHI NE 2Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 28, 1941 m w Y r WdKF O A H m Mm 9 2 FHELLERET'AL 2,292,344

ROTARY INTAGLIO PRINTING MACHINE Filed-Aug. 28, 1 941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2IN'VENTORS Franz Heller.

' RzclzardAKr I I Patented Aug 11, 1942 ROTARY INTAGLIO PRINTING MACHINEFranz Heller, Mount Vernon, and Richard A. Krahmer, Yonkers, N. Y.,assignors to B. Hoe a 00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork Application August as, 1941, Serial Not 408,616

a Claims. (01. 101-157) i This invention relates to rotary intaglioprinting machines and more particularly to an improved doctor blademechanism for such machines.

Each printing cylinder of an intaglio printing machine is commonlyprovided with a flexible metal doctor blade arranged to have an edgethereof in engagement with the surface of the printing cylinder whichrotates in an ink fountain, and to be pressed thereagainst with theproper amount of tension to insure removal of surplus ink from thecylinder surface. It is desirable that the pressure of the doctor bladebe readily and delicately adjustable, and it is also desirable that theblade be arranged to be swung away from the printing cylinder to pitacces- .sibility to adjacent machine parts, and to be again disposed andlocked in operative position without disturbing its adjustment inrespect to the surface of the cylinder.

' One object of this invention is to provide an improved form of doctorblade mechanism for intaglio printing machines whereby the pressure ofthe doctor blade upon the surface of the printing cylinder may bereadily and delicately ad- Justed, and the doctor blade may be moved toand from operating position without disturbing.

the adjustment.

Another object is to provide a doctor blade mechanism whereinprovision'is made to swin the doctor blade away from the cylinder andadjacent machine parts and mechanisms a relatively large amount wherebysuch parts and mechanisms will be conveniently and readily accessible. v

A further object is to improve the form of doctor blade mechanism shownin Patent No. 2,097,791 by providing a blade locking means which willnot require axial movement to permit the swinging of the bladesupporting arms away from the cylinder, and wherein features areprovided which increase its eiflciency.

Other objects are to provide a cushioning means to prevent the bladeabruptly striking the cylinder when it is swung into engagementtherewith, an adjustable stop means to limit its movement in thatdirection. and combinations of these features in a doctor blademechanism whereby each one may assist the operation and enhanceadvantages of the others.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a-doctor blademechanismiior an intaglio printing machine, of generally improvedconstruction, whereby the same will be simple, durable and in expensivein construction, as well as convenient,

practical. serviceable and eflicient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view. which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combticn andarrangement of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and in The preferred embodiment oi the inventiis illustratedin the accompanying dinwinS, where- Figure l is a sectional View ci apcrtion of an intaglio printing machine and which shows an end view of adoctor blade mechanism embcdg the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the doctor blade mechanism looking in thedirection of arrow 2 in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a side'view of the doctor blade mechanism looking in thedirection of arrow 3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the mechanism taken on the line 3-3 ofFigure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line d5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line tt of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, a doctor blade mechanism embodying thefeatures of the invention is shown in Figure l, in association with aprint-= ing cylinder ii of an intaglio printing me. An impressioncylinder I2 cooperates with the printing cylinder ii to print on a webit r 1-. betweenthese cylinders. The printing cylinder H is providedwith the usual engraved printingsurface it and. is mounted to be'rotatedin an ink well or fountain i5 where ink adheres to its peripheralsurface I4 and is subsequently transferred to the web it. A doctor blade56. made of comparatively thin and flexible metal, is supported by themechanism of this invention and is disposed in engagement with thesurface I4 of the cylinder H to remove surplus ink therefrom.

The doctor blade it extends axially along the cylinder I and is securelyclamped by means of screws I'I between bars l8 and IS. The upper bar I8is provided with a flange 2| along its rear edge and is secured ingrooves 22 provided in corresponding ends of each of a pair of arms 24and 25 (Figure 2), and abuts against an end surface 26 provided on anintermediate arm 21. Ateach of the arms 24 and 25, the flange 2! is arm21 by an adjusting screw 29. The arms 2|.

25 and 21 are mounted upon a shaft 3|. the arms 24 and 25 being freelyrotatable on the shaft 3|, and the arm 21 being releasably clampedthereto by screws 33, whereby it may be rotatably ad- .iust'ed about theshaft 3|.

The shaft 3| is journaled at each end in bearing supports 33 and 34, andintermediate its ends, in a bearing support 35. The bearing supports 33,35 and 35 are each suitably mounted upon a reciprocable base plate 35,which in turn is supported upon a stationary machine frame member 31.Means is herein shown whereby the bearing supports 33, 36 and 35 may beadjusted transversely of the base plate 35, these being hand screws 38(Figure 1). The adjusting mechanism controlled by the hand screws 35 isnot used during ordinary operation of the machine unless it is desiredto change the angle of contact of the doctor blade on the cylinder, orto position the blade to suit a printing cylinder having a differentdiameter, and ,hence on. machines where the same size cylinder is alwaysused, the adjusting means controlled by the hand screw 33, may beomitted. The base plate 35 may be reciprocated axially in respect to thecyl-= inder ii along ways 39, provided on the stationary machine framemember 31, by known means not shown. The shaft 3| is adapted to beturned manually by a handle 4| (Figure 2), keyed to the shaft 3|,preferably adjacent the intermediate bearing support 35.

The end arms 24 and 25 which carry the bars l5 and I9 are'connected torocker arms 42 and 43 respectively by means of adjusting screws 43(Figures 2 and 6). The screws 45 are rotatable freely in posts 45carried by the arms 42 and 43 and have handles 45 secured to them bypins 41. Thrust collars 45 are pinned or otherwise secured to the screws44, and with the handles 45 prevent axial motion ofthe screws 44 withrespect to the posts 45. .The screws 44 are screw threaded into studs 45carried by the'arms 24 and 25. Rotation of the screws 44 by the handles45 will adjust the arms 24 and 25 with respect to the rocker arms 42 and43. The arms 42 and 43 are releasably clamped, by means of screws 43(Figure 5) to the shaft 3|, and thus may be rotatively adjusted thereon.

Movement of the rocker arms 42 and 43 to swing the arms 24 and 25, andthe doctor blade i5 toward the cylinder II is limited by adjustingscrews 55 having lock nuts 5| associated therewith. The screws 55 arescrew threaded through lugs 52 provided on the rocker arms 42 and 43,and their inner ends 53 engage pins 54 extending from the adjacent sidesof the respective bearing supports 33 and 34. The doctor blade |5 maythus be accurately adjusted with respect to the cylinder II bymanipulating the adjusting screws 44, and the limit screws 55 are set inengagement with the pins 54 while the arms 42 and 43 are locked inoperating position by means to be hereinafter described. Coiled springs55 are disposed about each screw 55 and in counterbpres 55 formed in therocker arms 42 and.43, and act to bias the respective arms away from thepins 54. The springs 55 act as operating position while the printingcylinder is removed from the fountain.

Means including a handle 55 (Figures 3, 4 and 5), a short shaft 51, anda slotted sleeve 551s provided at each standard 33 and 34. The shafts"51 are journaled in the adjacent and associated standards 33 and 34,and have handles 55 secured at one end, and sleeves 58 secured to theother end. The sleeves 55 are provided with deep slots 59 formingrocking latches 5| adapted to engage pins or latch engaging members 52,mounted in and extending from adjacent sides of the rocker arms 42 and43 to lock the blade IS in its cylinder engaging position. The axes ofthe shafts 51 and the axes of the pins 52 are located equidistant fromthe axis of the shaft 3| so that, as the rocker arms 42 and 43 are swungabout with the shaft 3|, the pins 52 enter the slots 53 in the sleeves58. By manipulation of the handles 55 to rotate the shafts 51, thesleeves are rotated causing the' pins 52 to be engaged by the latches5|, and drawing the arms 42 and 43 toward the cylinder ll, thus securelylocking the blade |6 in engagement therewith. A pin 53 extending fromeach of the standards 33 and 34 limits the movement of the handles 55 inlooking direction. Rotation of the shafts 51 in the opposite direction,by moving the handles 55 to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure4, will cause the latches 5| to free the pins 52 and permit the rockerarms- 42 and 43 with the blade carrying before the blade |5 has beenswung away. .An

ink deflector 55 (Figurel) shown in association with the doctor blade l5and the cylinder II, has an edge 55 disposed closely adjacent theperiphery of the cylinder II to remove a portion cushioning means toprevent harsh engagement of theexcess ink therefrom, and thus reduce theamount of ink which the blade i5 is required to handle. This deflector55 extends the entire length of the blade i5 and is provided withopenings 51 which allow the ink renioved by the blade I5 to return tothe fountain i5. The deflector 55 also has a flange 55 dependingtherefrom to direct the ink which it removes from the cylinder backintothe fountain. I

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that in moving thedoctor knife mechanism from the full line position shown in Figure 1 tothe position shown in dotted lines, the handles 55 are first swungclockwise as seen in Figure 1 into the position shown in dotted lines inFigure 4. This results in turning the latches 5| through approximatel sothat the openings of the slots 59 are turned directly opposite to theposition shown in Figure 5, and the pins 52 are then free to moveclockwise and out of the slots 59 when the handle 4| is swung clockwiseto rotate the shaft 3 I and swing the entire doctor blade mechanism tothe dotted position of Figure 1. In the operation of moving the doctorblade from inoperative to operative position, the reverse sequence ofoperation is followed, by flrst turning encased and the handles as arethen manipulated to t the bushings so through approximately no in acounter=clochwise direction, to theFloch-up position shown in Figure 5,this motion of the bush= ings rting in a camming action oi one side oithe slots be against the pins 62, which results in producing the desiredoperating pressure of the doctor blade against the cylinder.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in otherspecific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributesthereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment beconsidered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

What is claimed is:

1. In a doctor blade supporting mechanism for a printing machine, thecombination of a doctor blade holder, a pivotally mounted arm forsupporting the doctor blade holder and to move the blade into and out ofengagement with the surface of a printing cylinder, and a latch engagingmember connected to the pivotally mounted arm, with means to lock thepivotally mounted supported to rock on a, relatively fixed axis and in asingle plane and adapted to engage the latch engaging member, the saidlatch being movable in one direction to press the bladeagainst thecylinder and lock it in operating position, and movable in the oppositedirection to release the blade and permit passage of the latch engagingmember and the pivotally mounted arm, so the blade may be swung awayfrom the cylinder.

2. In a doctor blade supporting mechanism for a printing machine, thecombination of a doctor blade holder carrying a doctor blade, apivotally mounted arm for supportingthe doctor blade holder and to movethe blade into and out of engagement with the surface of a printingcylinder, and a latch engaging member connected to the pivotally mountedarm, with means to lock the pivotally mounted arm in position to holdthe.

blade in engagement with the surface of the cylinder, including a latchsupported to rock on a relatively fixed axis and in a single plane andadapted to engage the latch engaging member, the said latch beingmovable in one direction to press the blade against the cylinder andlock it in operating position, and movable in the opposite direction torelease the blade and permit passage of the latch engaging member andthe pivotally mounted arm so the blade may be swung away from thecylinder, and resilient means movable with the r plvotally mounted armto cushion the engagement of the blade with the cylinder surface whenthe blade is swung into contact therewith.

3. In a doctor blade supporting mechanism for a printing machine, thecombination of a doctor blade holder, pivotally mounted arms forsupporting the doctor blade holder and to move the blade into and out ofengagement with the surface of a printing cylinder, rocker arms eachhaving a latch engaging member, and adjustable means to connect therocker arms to the pivotally mounted arms to vary the pressure of theblade on the cylinder, with means to lock each rocker arm and pivotallymounted arm in position to hold the blade in engagement with the surfaceof the cylinder, including a rotary latch adapted to engage a said latchengaging member and rotatable in one direction to engage and exertpressure on the latch engaging member thus engaged and thereby press theblade against the cylinder and lock it in position, and rotatable inblade holder, pivotally mounted arms tor sup porting the doctor bladeholder and to move the blade into and out of engagement with the surface of a printing cylinder, rocker arms each having a latch engagingmember, and adjustable means to connect the rocker arms to the pivot=ally mounted arms to vary the pressure or the blade on the cylinder,with means to lock each rocker arm and pivotally mounted arm'in position to hold the blade in' operating engagement with the surface of thecylinder, inclllg a rotary latch adapted to engage a said latch engagingmember and rotatable in one direction to engage and exert pressure onthe latch engagi member thus engaged and thereby press the blade againstthe cylinder and lock it in position, and rotatable in the oppositedirection to relieve pressure from and disengage the latch engagingmember, to release the blade and permit it to be swung away from thecylinder, and resilient means movable with the pivotally mounted arm tocushion the engagement of th blade with the cylinder surface when theblade is swung into contact therewith.

5. In a doctor'blade supporting mechanism, a blade holder, a first armfor supporting the blade holder, a shaft upon which the first arm ismounted, a second arm fixed to the shaft, means torock the shaft,adjustable connecting means between the arms whereby relative movementbetween them may be obtained to vary the pressure of the blade on thecylinder, means to cushion the movement of the arms toward the cylinder,adjustable means to limit the movement of the arms toward the cylinder,and locking means to draw th arms toward the cylinder against the actionof the cushioning means and to a position as limited by the limitingmeans.

6. In a doctor blade mechanism, a blade, a first arm for supporting theblade, a rock shaft upon which the first arm is rotatably mounted, asecond arm fixed to the shaft to rock therewith, adjustable connectingmeans between the arms whereby relative movement therebetween may beeflected to vary the pressure of the blade on the cylinder, meanscarried by the second arm and reacting against a. stationary part tobias the arms and with them the blade away from the cylinder, and meansto draw the arms toward the cylinder to engage it by the blade, againstthe action of the biasing means and to lock the arms in such position.

'7. In a doctor blade mechanism, a blade, a first arm for supporting theblade, a rock shaft upon which the first arm swings, at second arm fixedto the shaft to rock therewith, adjustable connecting means between thearms whereby relative movement between them may be effected to vary thepressure of th blade on the cylinder,

' biasing .means and to lock the arms in such position, and adjustablemeans to limit the-movement of the arms toward the cylinder by the armlocking means.

8. In a doctor blade mechanism for a printing machine having a cylinder,a doctor blade, a first arm for supporting the blade, a shaft upon whichthe first arm is freely rotatable}; second arm to'move the blade towardand away from the cylinder adjustably connected to the first arm forrelative movement therebetween, the second arm being connected to theshaft, a stationary standard in which the shaft is journaled, a latchengaging member carried by and extending from the second arm, a latchmember journaled in the standard and rotatable on an axis disposed onthe arc of travel of the latch engaging member as it rotates with theshaft, means to rock the member in one direction to engage the latchengaging member to-draw the arms toward the cylinder, an adjustable stopmember 10 with the part extending from the standard.

' FRANZ HELLER.

RICHARD A. mun/ma.

